4 vying for P.E.I. NDP leadership

P.E.I.'s provincial NDP says it has four candidates interested in leading the party, but it is not ready to name them yet.

The final deadline to apply to run was Sept. 10, but the party is putting the candidates through a vetting process before it approves any applicant's candidacy.

"We're a socially progressive party and we have to make sure that we have the right candidates for the position," said party president Jason Alward.

"We have four registrants and we're looking at all the materials and their backgrounds and that sort of thing. And of course the vettors we have two excellent vettors, they've vetted for the party before they'll be able to say yes or no on going forward with them."

It is impossible to say how many of the four applicants will make it through the vetting process, said Alward.

The party has been without a leader since Joe Byrne stepped down a year ago. Alward said the process of finding a new leader has been slowed down by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The final candidates for the leadership will be announced by the end of this month, said Alward. The leadership convention is scheduled for Nov. 6.